Electrical switch.



M. D. GREENGARD.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 16, 1910. 1,033,796, Patented July 30, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

M. D. GREENGARD.

ELECTRICAL SWITGH. APPLIOATIoN-HLBD SEPT. 1e, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

1,033,796. I ,Patented July 30,1912.

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- it/fesses' -l [zzz/@lafor- @J 711/ ylzz'sAtomey MORRIS D. GREENGARD, 0F NEW YORK, N'. Y.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH.

Specieation of Letters Patent. Patented July 30, 1912.

Application filed September-16, 1910. Serial No. 582,341.

To all 'whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, Monms D. GREEN- GAnD, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the count-y of New York -and State of New York,'have invented eertaln new and useful Improvements in Electrical Switches, of which the following is a specication.

My present invention in electrical switches is specially adapted to switches of the cluster type for controlling a plurality of incandescent lamps. The particular switch shown accomplishes the sueecssivevli'ghting and extinguishing of four lamps. Furthermore, it is not necessary to light all the lamps and then to extinguish them all to get back to a one-lamp illumination. On the contrary, the switch is reversely operable at any time. Thus, if there be three lamps lighted, the switch can be operated not only to light the fourth lamp, if that be desired, but also is operable reversely to. eut out one of the lamps and reduce the total number to two or to one, or to extinguish the lam s altogether. In short, the switchgis per ectly responsive to directly meet the extent of illumination desired. These and'other advantages both of operation and construction will appear to those skilled in the art from an understanding of the following specifical tion in connection with the drawings.

The drawings illustrate one of the partieular forms which aA switch within my invention may take.' In them, Figure 1 shows a fixture with my` switch applied thereto; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of part of the fixture of Fig. 1 and of the switch, the latter being shown partly in mid vertical section and partly in side elevation; Fig. 3 is an underneath plan view of the switch after itsl insulating casing 6 has been removed; Fig. 4 is the same but differs in showing parts of the switch operated to light one lamp; the figure further shows part of the insulating disk 5 and drum 14 cut away to reveal the spring-pressed eo'ntaets in the former and the contact strip carried by the latter; the

figure further showsthe electrical connec tions; Fig. 5 is a horizontal section partly in elevation on the line 5 5 inFi 2 looking in the direction of the arrows; ig. 6 is a plan view looking down on top ofthe disk 5 of the switch in Fig. 2; Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 are views on an enlarged scale of parts designated by thesame numerals in the other figures. y A

I will now describe the devices ofy the drawings, reserving it to the claims to point out the novel features and to indicate the scope of the invention, it being understood that the claims will -be given due range of equivalents.

1 is the main pipe of the iixture carrying on its lower end a junction chamber 2,the latter having holes through its sides which connect with branch pipes 3. The latter support thc incandescent lamps. The pipes, as usual, inclose the wires. From the underside of the junction chamber 2 projects an internally threaded Lnipple 4. his serves to 'support the switch. 'glp/@jigs a disk of insulating material and a casing of insulating material supported from the underside of the disk. The disk and casing together make a hollowehamber for certain of the working parts of the switch, as best shown in Fig. 2.

7 is an axle supported in a central hole through the disk 5. It is prevented from revolving relative to the disk by lateral projections 8 on the axle seated in recesses ex-x tendine from the disk o enme best shown inFigs. 2 and 6. The upper end of the axle 7 is serew-thrcaded and is engaged by nut 9. The threaded end above the mit is adapted to screw-connect with the internally threadved nipple 4 on the lixture` and (hereby sup- (See Fig.

port the switch from the fixture. 2). The lowerend ol the axle 7 has au internally threaded head 7 .t Fig. 2l which is accessible througha central opening in the casing 6 to screw-connect with the rod 10 for the purpose next. to be described.

n ornamental shell is provided lo iuelose thejunction chamber part of the lixlurr and the switch. It may be in two parlsy an upper half 11a (Fig. l) and a. lower half 11b co-acting with the upper and slypnted in position by the rod 10 projecting upwardly through a hole in the vbottom oiythe shell and screw-connecting, as alrea(ly/described, with the head yof the axle 7 of theswiteh, said rod being provided with a head la'enga ging the outside of the shell.- The shell may have a pair of openings through it provided with eyelets as shown in Fig. 1, or it may have a 1 tact strip 16; a pawl-carrying arm 17 and an operating lever 18. The referred to parts are shown on an enlargedscale in Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive. 19 is a vWasher on the axle located underneath the aforesaid parts and itself held on by a cotter pin 20 through the head of the axle.

The drum l14 revolves in a circular recess in the disk-5 of the switch (Figs. 2 and 5). There are a plurality .of openings bored radially through the disk 5 toward the drum.

In these are located spring-pressed'contactl pieces 21. These pieces are backed by compressionlspiral springs 22 which force them at all times Ainto contact with the insulat- 'ing periphery of the drum or conducting contact strip depending upon the position of rotation of the drum. These springs are held under compression in the radial openings by electrical connectors 28, one for each springpressed contact. The connectors are mounted on the insulating disk 5 in spaced apart relation from one another. Thesecuring means in each instance consists of a screw 24, (compare Fig. 6 and Fig. 3) which by a lug 23a on the connector secures it to the disk 5. Each connector has a con-` ducting portion 231 on the periphery of the disk 5 which overlies the mouth of the radial opening containing its spring-'pressed contact. Therefore, the spring of the oontact is in electrical connection at all times with the connector. This same peripheral part of each connector is provided with a screw 25 'by which to make the wiring connections. Referring to Fig. 4, it will be seen that these connections are as follows: 26 is a dyanmo or source of power. A, B, C and D are the lamps. connects with the connector XA The other lead connects with all four lamps arranged in parallel, with the remaining terminal of each lamp connecting with the respective connectors a, b, c and (Z. Thus, X is the common connector for all the lamps, whereas a, I), c and d are the individual connectors of the individual lamps. Comparing Figs. 4 and 5, it will be seen that when the drum is in'the position shown in Fig. 5, no cur rent can flow through any of the lamps. They will all be extinguished. Upon rotating the drum 14 in anti-clockwise direction to carry the conducting strip 16 into contact with the contact piece 21 of they connector a, it Lfollows from the connections of Fig; 4 that lamp A will light up. Rotating the drum another notch in the same direction will light lamp B. Still another notch One lead from the sourcewill light lamp C, and rotating it a iinal notch will light lamp D. Reverse rotation of the drum will, vice versa, extinguish the lights from four to three, two to one, and finally will extinguish all the lights when the drum is positioned as in Fig. 5.

It now remains to descrlbe the means by which I accomplish the rotation of the drum ,and accomplish its step by step movement in either direction and at any time at will, whether at the beginning, middle or end of its normal travel.

The ratchet wheel 15 that is .secured rigidly to the underside of the drum 14 has a projection 15t extending outwardly beyond its teeth and which plays between the fixed stop-pins 27 (Figs. 3 and 4) that project downwardly from the underside of the disk 5 and by contact therewith limit the rotation of the drum to an arc. The arrangement is such thatwhen the drum is rotated in anti-clockwise direction in Fig. 5 to .light the lamps, it cannot be rotated beyond the point where the contact strip 16 has reached the contact piece of the connector d. Vice versa, on the reverse movement, the drum cannot be rotated beyond the position shown in Fig. 5. 'l d The pawl-carrying arm 17 moves freely about the axle 7 and supports a pawl 28 pivoted thereto at 28a. The arm has notched side extensions 17*1 for a purpose hereinafter mentioned. The pawl is a double pawl, namely has two toes 28h for engaging the ratchet wheel, one for rotating it in one direction and the other forv rotating it in the opposite direction. The pawl has an outwardly extending handle 28C.

18 is an operating lever having a-central opening which freely receives the axle 7.

One end of this lever is provided with a pivot pin 18ZL which is pivotally received in a suitable opening 281 (Fig. 8) in the end of the pawl-handle. To the opposite end of the operating lever are attached the operating chains or cords 29, the free ends of which pass down and out through openings in the insulating casing 6 of the Switch. Referring to Figs. 3 and 6, it is apparent that these chains, when pulled, swing the operating lever in opposite directions.

30 is a spring which may be made of a single piece of spring wire bent as shown in Fig. 10. The central coiled portion surrounds the axle 7 The arms of the spring tend to approach each other but are stopped by the pins 27. The tips or extremities 30 of these arms are adapted to contact with the side extensions 17a from the pawl-carrying arm, and are received into the notches of said extensions. The effect is to keep the operating lever and the interconnected parts normally in the neutral position shown in Fig. 3. Thus, when either chain is pulled to swing the lever in one direction or the other,

y one notch and either to light a lamp or to itthrows under greater tension the corresponding arm of the'spring. 30, as in Fig. 4, with the result that as soon as the chain is released, the spring returns the operating lever and connected parts back to the neutral position of Fig. 3. The leffect of each pull of either chain is vto rotate the drum 14 one.

extinguish Thus, when the light colored chain of Fig. 3 is'pulled, it immeydiately starts the operating lever 18 to swing toward its ultimate position shown in Fig. 4. The lever at the very beginning of its swing causes the pawl 28 to pivot into the position shown in Fig. 4 with one of its toes in position to engage with a tooth of the ratchet wheel. Continued pull on the chain then carries the operating lever to its final position in Fig. 4 and rotates the ratchet wheel, and consequently the drum, through one notch, the ratchet 4Wheel' being A carried forward by its described engagement with the toe of the pawl. Tlre result is that shown in Fig. 4 where the insulating strip on the drumV has reached the Contact piece 21 of the connector a and lamp A has been lighted. The lower stop pin 27 has checkedthe pull on the light colored chain, whereupon, as the operator. releases the chain, the spring 30' returns 'the operat-ing lever and connected 'parts to the neutral position shown in Fig. v as already described. Succeeding pulls and releases of the same chain will operate the pawl and rotate the ratchet wheel and drum exactly as just described, to light the remaining lamps one after the other `until all of them are lighted, whereupon the stops 152L on the ratchet wheel, by engaging the upper stop pin 27 in'Fig. 4, prevents further operationfof the drum in that direction. Vice versa, successively pulling and releasing the dark colored chain rotates the drum 14 'through successive notches or stages and this is accomplished precisely as already describedin connection .with the operation of the switc-lrby the light colored chain, the only difference being that the"operatin',f lever 18 and connected parts are pulled in the opposite direction and the other toe of the pawl 28 is broughtL into operation to effect the rotation of the ratchet wheel 15 and drum 14.

Whereas thespecific switch shown and described is adapted to a four lam cluster, it is obvious that theswitch is not limited to that number. On the contrary, the number of lamps may be increased or diminished, and the switchl changed accordingly vas .to the number of its contacts a, b, @,etc., the

length of its contact strip 16, and other` obvious readaptations.

The pressure of the spring-pressed contacts 21 against the rotatable member is suicient to -hold same stationary in whatever position it may beleft by the operation of the pawl-means, and they therefore function not only as electrical contacts but also in lieu of an additional pawl to prevent back-ratcheting of the ratchet wheel V,on theand non-rotary contact members, a ratchet wheel connected with the rotary contact member, an arm pivoting about the ratchet Wheel axis,a pawl pivotally supported onv said arm having two toes extending oppo- 'lsitely toward the ratchet wheel adapted alternately to be pivoted into engagement therewith, said pawl having a handle eX- tending beyond the end -of the pawl-carrying arm, and operating means connected with the pawl-handle for pivoting same to bring one or the other of its toes into engagement with the ratchetwheel and for Y then moving the pawl bodily in either direction at will.

and a spring consisting of a pair of springV arms projecting outwardly from the axis of the ratchet wheel with a spring tendency toward each other, said arms co-acting with opposite sides of the pawl-support and giving it a normal position between the stops.

3. In an electrical switch the combination of co-acting rotary and non-rotary contact members, va ratchet wheel connected with the rotary member, a pawl-carrying arm pivoting about the aXis of the ratchet wheel, said arm having notched oppositely directed side extensions, a double-toed pawl pivotally supported on said arm, one toe co-actmg with the ratchet wheel when the pawl is plvoted in one direction and the other toe when pivoted in the opposite direction, operating .means connected with the pawl which both pivots and moves'it and said arm in either direction about the ratchet wheel at will,

stops limiting the aforesaid movement of.

the pawl and arm about the ratchet wheel, and a spring having curved arms which project outwardly from the axis of the ratchet wheel with their extremities directed toward each other to-be received into the respective notches in the side extensions on the pawlcarrying arm, said arms having spring tendency toward each other and giving said paWl-carrying arm a normal position between the stops.

4:. .In an electrical switch, the combination of co-acting rotary and non-rotary contact members, a ratchet wheel connected with the rotary "member, a pawl-carrying arm pivoting about t-he axis` of the ratchet wheel, a pawl pivotally supported on said arm having oppositely extending toes adapted alternately to engage the ratchet wheel when the pawl is pivoted in opposite directions, said pawl having a handle extending beyond the end of the pawl-carrying arm, ,and an operating lever pivoting at its central portion. about the axis of the ratchet wheel, having one of its ends pivotally connected with the handle of the pawl, and chains proceeding in opposite directions from t-he other end of the operating lever for swinging it in either direction.

5. In an electrical switch, co-acting rotary and non-rotary contact/members, a ratchet wheel connected with the rotar contact member, an arm pivoting about t e ratchet wheel axis, a pawl pivotally supported on said arm having two toes extending oppositely toward the ratchet Wheel adapted alternately to be pivoted into engagement therewith, said pawl having a handle -extending beyond the end of the pawl-carrying arm, operating means connected with the pawl-handle for pivoting same to bring one or the other of its toes into engagement With'the ratchet wheel and for then moving the pawl bodily in either direction at will, and means for yieldingly holdingthe aforesaid arm in a normal position and returning it to said position when displaced therefrom.

In testimon whereof I alix my signature in 'presence o two witnesses.

MORRIS D. `GREENGARD. 

